A telephone fraud where scammers impersonate law enforcement agents has cost Washington County residents thousands of dollars in recent months.

The suspects typically identify themselves as law enforcement and call armed with detailed information on the victims' tax situation or outstanding warrants, according to a release from the Washington County Sheriff's Office. In some cases they have used the names of actual officers and been able to clone the officer's phone number so it shows up on the victim's phones as coming from the sheriff's office.

"The suspects involved typically identify themselves as a government authority, threatening arrest if you do not pay pas fees owed," according to the release.

In one incident, the victim was informed they had warrants out for arrest and needed to send money to clear the charges, according to the release. The victim saw the sheriff's office show up on caller ID and the suspect used the name of Lt. Trevor Benson, an actual officer.

In another incident, the caller used the name of a Sgt. Maddox, also with the sheriff's office. Initially suspicious, the victim transferred $3,500 to the suspect after a friend verified that there was an actual deputy there by that name.

"When the suspect called a second time requesting more money, the incident was reported to the sheriff's office and identified as a fraudulent activity," according to the release.

Officers are investigating the reported crimes and advised residents to be aware that it is not normal for a law enforcement officer to contact a person by phone regarding outstanding warrants. If a person is notified of an actual warrant, it is typically done in person and would direct the subject to the issuing court.

Although some courts accept online payments through official websites, no law enforcement agency requests that money be sent by cash card or wire transfers.

Utah can be especially susceptible to such fraud schemes, according to state and federal agency officials. An interagency coalition of state and federal law enforcement agencies created the Financial Fraud Institute this year to raise awareness among residents on how to spot potential scams.

Avoid being a victim

According to the Federal Trade Commission, scammers defraud victims out of thousands of dollars every day. The agency recommends following some of these tips to spot a scam:

Are you told you've won a sweepstakes prize but can't recall entering a sweepstakes contest?

Are you told you'd have to pay money to get your prize? These supposed costs can include paying taxes, shipping and handling charges or processing fees to get your prize. There is no reason to give out your checking account number or credit card number in response to a sweepstakes promotion.

Are you asked to wire money to someone? You may be told to wire money to an agent of “Lloyd’s of London” or another well-known company – often in a foreign country – to “insure” delivery of the prize. Don’t do it. Wiring money is like sending cash. Once it’s gone, you can’t trace it or get it back. The same thing goes for sending a check or a money order by overnight delivery or putting money on a prepaid debit card.

Are you asked to deposit a check they’ve sent you? When you do, they’ll ask you to wire a portion of the money back to them. The check will turn out to be a a fake, and you will owe the bank any money you withdrew.

Does the caller claim to be from the government or another organization with a name that sounds official? They might tell you that they are from an agency like the Federal Trade Commission and are informing you that you’ve won a federally supervised lottery or sweepstakes. They might use an official-sounding name like “the national consumer protection agency” or the non-existent “National Sweepstakes Bureau.” No federal agency or legitimate sweepstakes company will contact you to ask for money so you can claim a prize.

Are you asked to go to Walmart or another store immediately to purchase a pre-paid card and either give them the card numbers or mail it somewhere? The caller often asks you to pay something immediately or risk being arrested. These scams often involve a claim that the caller is from the IRS or an accusation that you failed to report for jury duty in state or federal court.

What can you do to avoid becoming a victim of a fraud scheme:

You are the first line of defense. Never give out your personal or bank information. If you get a call and you aren’t sure, tell them you will call them back. Don’t use any phone numbers they have given you. Find the phone number for the agency or office yourself. If they said they were calling from the IRS, find the phone number for the IRS yourself.

Ask yourself – Do I owe the IRS money? Could there really be a warrant out for my arrest if I don’t give the caller money immediately? Did I enter a sweepstakes?

Check them out. Scammers don’t obey the law. To avoid a scam, you have to do some research. Try typing the company or product name into your favorite search engine with terms like review, complaint or scam. You could also call your state consumer protection office or law enforcement. Do your homework before you give someone your money.

Talk to someone you trust. If you are in doubt, talk to a friend, a family member, or perhaps someone working at the Senior Center. Tell them about the piece of mail you got or the phone call you received. You could also call your police department or talk to your bank for advice.